A gleaming addition to the West Perth skyline, Sage Hotel has brought life – and much-needed corporate accommodation – to a sleepy corner of the city.

In a corner of Perth better known for boutique mining companies, doctors’ surgeries and repurposed old homes, it’s hard to miss the new Sage Hotel rising like a Cuisenaire rod behind Julio’s, a grand West Perth home that was turned into a restaurant in the ’80s. 

This modern, four-star, 101-room hotel is part of the Singapore-based SilverNeedle group, the company behind Brisbane’s NEXT Hotel. Aimed squarely at the corporate market, the Sage has four very big features going for it: it’s new, it’s affordable, it’s a pleasant walk to several key destinations and the food at Julio’s – now its in-house restaurant – is fabulous.

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As at boutique Alex Hotel in Northbridge, guests are drawn out of their rooms and into warm public spaces – in the case of Sage (which can’t quite compete on the funkiness scale), that’s a long, fireside table near the bar, between the hotel’s reception and the restaurant.

Rooms

If the burgundy, grey and chocolate-brown colour scheme doesn’t do it for you, Sage’s custom-made mattresses will knock you out – literally; they’re heaven. All rooms come with fast, free wi-fi, a neutral-toned bathroom with dual showerheads and amenities by SOAK Superfood Skincare. Superior rooms come with views of either the Perth skyline or nearby Kings Park. Deluxe corner rooms have more space (and a king bed) but the layout is awkward if watching TV in bed is your thing. In a refreshing move, SilverNeedle promises that prices of minibar offerings and laundry services are comparable to those of local convenience stores and laundromats. 

Food

Julio’s is a Perth institution. Built in 1902, the historic Walsh family residence has housed the popular Italian restaurant for about 30 years. When Sage was built, the restaurant’s private dining spaces were demolished, its solid brick walls stripped back and its look hauled into 2016. The open-plan restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner now flows into the hotel reception, bridging old and new. All pasta is made in-house, including the fresh squid-ink tagliolini with scallops, tiger prawns, squid, fresh fish and white wine. For breakfast, close your eyes, pretend you’re in southern Italy and savour the eggs Calabrese – scrambled eggs, feta, salami, pepperonata, red onion and rocket with ciabatta. 

Location

Located on the city fringe, the hotel is within walking distance of Kings Park (at four square kilometres, one of the biggest inner-city parks in the world), the CBD, Subiaco Oval, Princess Margaret Hospital and some great bars and restaurants. Borrow the hotel’s bike and explore surrounding suburbs or jump on the Blue CAT for a free bus ride into the city. Also in walking distance is the Gordon St. Garage, yet another successful enterprise by the founders of Little Creatures brewery, and, even closer to the hotel, Amphoras Bar, a funky eatery serving European tapas.

Things to do

There’s a modest 24-hour gym on the ground floor but if the weather’s fine, grab and picnic and walk the two kilometres into Kings Park. If you’re still feeling energetic, wander down to the Swan River, turn left on the walking path and head into the city via the new Elizabeth Quay development. Closer to the hotel (1.2 kilometres) is Scitech, a permanent interactive science museum and planetarium. You’ll need a car to get to the wineries of the Swan Valley and the hip streets of historic Fremantle but in both cases it’s well worth the trip.

Location: 1309 Hay Street, West Perth, WA 
Style: Modern hotel on city fringe
Perfect for: Business travellers, couples, solo travellers
Number of rooms: 101

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